All pregnant women should take a prenatal vitamin to ensure they get enough of the essential vitamins and minerals their developing babies need. Not only does a pregnant woman's changing body require more nutrition, but her baby may be at risk for birth defects if she does not get the essential vitamins and minerals.
Essential Vitamins for Baby
Developing babies get all of their nutrition from their mothers' diets. Pregnant women must not only watch what they eat, but also what supplements they take. One of the most important components of a prenatal vitamin in early pregnancy is folic acid, or folate. Folic acid is a B vitamin, and is required for healthy neural tube development, the structure that later becomes the brain and spinal cord. In addition to reducing the risk of birth defects such as paralysis or learning disabilities, folic acid also helps with blood and protein production. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, recommends a minimum of 600mcg daily in the early stages of pregnancy. The Cleveland Clinic recommends 800 to 1,000mcg daily.
Essential Minerals for Mom
The mother-to-be has her own essential vitamin and mineral needs. Because she must produce extra blood both for her baby and for her own body to support her developing baby, she needs extra iron in her diet. ACOG recommends pregnant women get 27mg daily, and the Cleveland Clinic recommends a minimum of 30mg. Women who get less than this may be prone to anemia. In addition, calcium is an essential ingredient in a prenatal vitamin and in the mother's diet. The developing baby needs calcium for bone development, and must take it from somewhere. If mom is not getting 200 to 300mg daily, she may be at risk for losing her own bone density.
Other Essential Vitamins
ACOG stresses the importance of several other vitamins and minerals during pregnancy, including vitamins A, C, D, B12 and B6, as well as zinc and copper. These all help with the baby's bone development, eyesight, gums, teeth and nervous system. However, it may be best for women to get these ingredients simply from diet and one prenatal vitamin. When women take multiple supplements, they risk overdosing on certain vitamins.
Time Frame for Prenatal Vitamins
According to the Cleveland Clinic, half of all pregnancies are not planned. This means that half of the women who have not begun to prepare their bodies for the possibility of supporting a baby may not have enough stores of calcium or protein. They may also miss out on the window of importance for folic acid. The Cleveland Clinic reports that women of childbearing age should ensure they get enough of these nutrients, just in case. They may not necessarily need to start taking a prenatal vitamin, but taking a multivitamin can help prevent possible birth defects and pregnancy complications in the case of a surprise.
Considerations for Prenatal Vitamins
Not all prenatal vitamins are alike. In addition, some women may require more of certain key minerals than the average pregnant woman, including those who are more prone to anemia, or those who have had children with neural tube defects. Some doctors advise women to take an over-the-counter prenatal vitamin, while others will prescribe a vitamin that is more specific to their needs.
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